so you can compose your own variation on an Indochinese theme.(1) small French loaves or baguettes, halved lengthways
(2) a spread of either mashed boiled eggs (a Cambodian favorite), chicken liver pate, soft pork pate, Onion/Chili Spread (see right), butter or mayonnaise
(3) slices of pork sausage such as Steamed Pork Sausage (above), Chinese red-roasted pork (char siew), chicken sausage or pieces of cooked chicken
(4) freshly grated green papaya (or chayote/ choko) or sliced cucumber, plus shredded Long White Radish and Carrot Relish (page 178)
(5) fresh herbs such as coriander, mint, or spring onion
Onion/Chili Spread
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large red or brown onions, finely minced
2-4 teaspoons Roasted Thai Chili Paste (page 179)
¼ cup (60 ml) water
Heat the oil in a small saucepan and stir-fry the onion over low-medium heat until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the chili paste, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add the water, stir and continue cooking until the onion is very soft, about another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 1¼- 1½ hours
crispy rice cakes khao tong
One of the reasons I've never got around to buying a rice cooker is that I love to cook steamed rice until it forms a dry crust on the bottom of the pan. I sun-dry this the next day, then store it for frying into crisp, crunchy rice cakes which are perfect with all kinds of dips. Here's another way of making these rice cakes which may be easier if you happen to use a rice cooker, or if you don't have a steady supply of sunlight.
2 cups (400 g) uncooked long-grain rice
2 teaspoons oil
Serves: 8-10 Preparation time: 10 min
Drying time: 2 hours Cooking time: 45 min
Cook the rice in the usual way (page 19). You can now either use two frying pans, each about 8½ in (22 cm) and preferably non-stick, or double your length of cooking time by doing the next stage of cooking in two batches. Assuming you are using two frying pans, put 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil in each. Heat the oil, then swirl it around to grease the pan over the sides and base, then tip out any excess oil and reserve.
Add half the rice to each greased frying pan. Grease a spatula with oil and press it down very firmly on the surface of the rice so that the grains stick together to make a compact cake. Put the frying pans over the lowest heat possible and cook for 10 minutes, pressing down on the surface of the rice several times. Slide the rice cake onto a large plate and invert it over the pan, so the rice cake goes back in with the cooked side facing up. Press down again on the top of the rice with your spatula and cook for another 10 minutes.
Slide each rice cake onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook in the oven set to the lowest possible heat until thoroughly dry, about 1½ hours to 2 hours. Cool the rice cake completely, then break up into chunks of about 2 in (5 cm). Store in an airtight container for several months.
To cook the rice cakes, heat vegetable oil for deep-frying in a wok until very hot. Add 2 or 3 rice cakes at a time and cook until puffed up and golden brown on both sides; this should take less than a minute. Drain on paper towel and serve with any kind of dip, or simply sprinkle with a little salt and a few crushed dried chili flakes.
tangy marinated fish roll-ups goi ca
With its intriguing balance of flavors and textures, this is one of the most refreshing appetizers I've come across. But be warned: it really gets the appetite going, so be sure you have plenty of other food to follow. Strips offish are "cooked" in vinegar, then combined with onions, herbs, crunchy peanuts, and deep-fried shallots. Look for the freshest whole fish you can find (don't buy fillets unless you're absolutely sure of their freshness). If you want to try the Vietnamese version, wrap everything up in a rice paper, or go the Laotian way and use lettuce leaves.
10-1 3 oz (300-400 g) fresh white fish fillets (grouper, whiting, or other fine-fleshed fish)
1 cup (250 ml) rice vinegar
1 red or brown onion, halved and very thinly sliced
4 teaspoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaped tablespoon finely minced mint I heaped tablespoon finely minced polygon-um (long-stemmed Vietnamese mint)
1 fresh red chili, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons crushed dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon crisp-fried shallots
12-16 small rice papers, 5½-6½ in (14-16 cm) in diameter, or 12-16 soft lettuce leaves
2 under-ripe star fruit (carambola) or 2 green tomatoes, thinly sliced
Wash the fillets, dry thoroughly with paper towel, then cut into thin slices about ½ x 2 in (1x 5 cm). Put the fish in a bowl and pour over the vinegar. Stir and leave to marinate at room temperature for I hour.
After fish has been marinating 30 minutes, put the onion into a separate bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and 1 teaspoon of the salt, massaging the onion with your fingers. Marinate for 30 minutes.
When the fish has marinated I hour, transfer to a sieve and rinse briefly under running water. Drain well and pat the fish dry with paper towel, then put into a bowl. Squeeze the onion to remove as much liquid as possible, but do not rinse. Combine the onion, fish, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, herbs, chili, peanuts, and shallots, mixing well with your hand.
If using rice papers, dip them one at a time into a bowl of warm water for 3 to 4 seconds. Remove and place on a kitchen towel, smoothing them with your fingers. Add some of the fish mixture to each rice paper (or lettuce leaf), roll up to form a cigar shape, and put on a serving plate. Garnish with star fruit or green tomato.
Serves: 4-6 Marinating: 1 hour Preparation time: 1O min
lacy malay pancakes roti jala
In the old days, Malay cooks used to make these lacy pancakes by putting their hand in the batter and then swirling it over the frying pan, letting the batter dribble down their fingers. Then sophistication struck and the roti Jala cup was born, a cup-like funnel with four spouts. You could use a regular kitchen funnel, or a Japanese soy sauce dispenser to get the appropriate lacy look to these pancakes, which are fabulous for mopping up curry gravy.
1½ cups (185 g) plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2½ cups (560 ml) coconut
